First time ever: Paralyzed man moves hand with thoughts using bionic tech (VIDEO)

A US man’s brave decision and hard work have given hope to thousands of paralyzed people worldwide. Being paralyzed himself, Ian Burkhart took part in a breakthrough test and became the first person in the world to move his limb by using his thoughts.

The last time 23-year-old Ian Burkhart moved his hands on his own
was on a summer day in June 2010, when he and his friends were
celebrating the end of their freshman year of college.

On that day, an unsuccessful dive into the Atlantic Ocean divided
his life into “before” and “after.”

"It happened so fast. There was this loud snap," he
recalled to Mashable.

As it turned out later, Ian dove into the ocean without realizing
there was a sandbank hidden beneath the waves.

Everything changed in that moment for the 19-year-old student and
lacrosse player. Paralyzed from the chest down, Ian broke his
neck and lost the use of his limbs.

Though many find themselves feeling sorry for him, Ian says he's
actually very lucky – and happy to be alive.

Four years ago I would've never imagined that this is where I
would be however Im glad to say that I cannot complain about my
life #61310

After a series of treatments, Ian re-enrolled in college. He now
helps coach the boy's lacrosse team at his former high school in
Dublin, Ohio. His car has been adjusted for him, so he is able to
drive – and he's willing to lend a hand to anyone who needs a
ride.

“Friends or anyone, if u get in a situation & need a ride
tonight call me. I believe I owe some people for always helping
me #drivesober,” Ian posted on his Facebook page on December
31.

What Ian misses most is “just being independent,” he
told the Washington Post. He lives in the basement of his father
and stepmother's house, and needs help with almost everything –
including brushing his teeth, eating, and turning in bed.

This could have easily been the end of the story for Ian – but it
wasn't. Four years after the accident, his life changed again
when he agreed to take part in a pioneering research project.

Ian’s doctor, leading neuroscientist Jerry Mysiw, was working
with Chad Bouton – a top medical researcher from the engineering
organization Battell – on a new technology called 'Neurobridge.'

Once Ian said he would like to take part, he became the main hero
of the breakthrough research – which may one day make it possible
for him to walk again, and provides hope for many other patients
in similar situations.

“I couldn't turn down the opportunity to become the first
person in the world to do something we have all been dreaming of.
The prospect of helping advance science and help other people in
the future – I had to say yes,” he told the Telegraph.

Though he had no clue how the experiment would turn out, Ian was
still excited.

Elective brain surgery tomorrow and I’m excited about it, yet
they said I passed the mental test ha

On April 22, doctors implanted a chip into Ian’s brain. That
initial surgery was a success; aside from strong headaches,
Burkhart recovered quickly. A less significant side effect of the
surgery was that Ian was instructed not to think too deeply, and
therefore couldn't watch TV or read books.

The microchip was designed to interpret brain signals and send
them to a computer, which would decode and send them to a
high-definition electrode stimulation sleeve. The sleeve would
stimulate the proper muscles to complete Ian's desired movements.

As his head healed, Ian and his doctors started practicing. Ian
sat in front of a computer monitor three times a week, focusing
on moving his hand. While watching a digital limb move on the
screen, doctors asked Ian to think about moving his own hand the
same way. The computer would read his “signals” and move an
animated hand on the screen.

Meanwhile, scientists built up algorithms – observing patterns of
the neurons that Ian’s brain used while picking up his “signals”
and translating his thoughts to movements.

After weeks of practicing, it was time for Ian to finally move
his hand for the first time since that fateful day in 2010.

It happened exactly four years and five days after he lost use of
his hands.

Doctors plugged a gray cord into the metal microchip in Ian’s
head and connected it to the computer. Ian also wore a sleeve
with electrodes around his wrist which received translated – or
decoded – messages from Ian's brain signals.

After a tenth of a second, everybody in the room witnessed a
tremendous scientific success – Dr. Chad Bouton’s decade of
research wasn’t fruitless.

Ian first moved his fingers, then balled his hand into a fist and
even moved it towards himself.

"It wasn't the same sensation through my arm that I was
expecting. It was almost like someone else was moving my fingers
and I was just watching from afar," he told Mashable.

Ian has become the first person to ever move his limb with his
own thoughts while having spinal cord damage.

The incredible success was triumphed by doctors and scientists
alike. Even if Ian had managed to move one finger, the result
would have been deemed a huge success – but he exceeded all
expectations when he picked up a spoon and held it.

“To me, being able to move my fingers would make a huge
difference to my daily life. I have no sensation below my elbow
so I can’t do things that people take for granted, like eating by
myself or brushing my teeth,” Ian told the Telegraph.

This technology may one day help patients affected by brain and
spinal cord injuries caused by strokes and serious accidents.

"Just imagine not being able to move your hand for four
years, then suddenly you see it move, right before your
eyes," Ali Rezai, the lead surgeon for the project, said
after the test. "This is only the first step. Next, we'd like
to see Ian — and others like him — be able to do even more
sophisticated movements with their hands."